GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 1167, which would require jury commissioners to collect information from persons not qualified to serve as jurors for specific reasons and subsequently make that information available to the general registrar of that locality. The bill would also require the general registrars who receive this information to initiate list maintenance procedures.

My Administration is committed to protecting the right to vote and ensuring that Virginia elections are conducted with integrity. There is no evidence or data that jury information is a reliable source for voter list maintenance. Relying on jury information to maintain our lists could weaken the veracity of our voter rolls and thus our elections. Furthermore, this unreliable information could endanger the registrations of eligible voters and prevent them from successfully casting a ballot.

House Bill 1167 could harm qualified voters and undermine the democratic process in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.